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@einen taies a'tcnt @fitta MARVIN S.. ROBERTS, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

Letters Patent No. 74,141, dated February 4, 1868.

FEAT-CRIB.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, MARVIN S. ROBERTS, of Racine, in the county of Racine, and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Peat-Crib; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a. full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speeilieation, in which- Figure 1 represents the side elevation, and V Figure 2 the end elevation of the crib.

The sheds for curing peat being very expensive when stationary, the object of my invention is to provide light portable cribs, of limited capacity, for curing'and storing the peut; and its nature `consists in the frame and its roof, so constructed and arranged as to be easily moved from place to place, and be always near by to the peat-excavating and grinding-machine. It consists, also, in a wedge-board, used in combination with the crib during the piling of the peat, and withdrawn afterwards, for the purpose of forming in the peat-pile a passage for A the circulation of the air; also, in blocks in the shape of truncated cones, used to form vertical passages in the upper part ofthe peat-pile, as will be hereafter fully explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A are cross-boards, to which posts B B are secured. These have a slanting position, giving to the frame the shape of a trapezoid, and are firmly connected by longitudinal pieces C C and cross-pieces D D. The frame is put on the boards O O, laid on the ground, to prevent the sinking ofthe frame, and boards, G G, are placed upon the cross-boards A A loosely. The wedge-board F is placed longitudinally in the middle of the erib,'and consists of the board a, made narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, and two. boards, b b, secured to the 4triangular blocks d el, the whole secured together: This wedge-boardis placed on movable ,blocks II H, laid on the eross-bcards A A, between boards G Gr, and its notches ff, made in the upper edge of the board a, are

fitted to the cross-pieces D D. Roof, K, made of light scantling and boards, is open ,at the ends, und its crosspieces L L are provided with notches, Z luto iit notches, m m, of the pieces C C of the frame. When put on, the roof K is secured to the frame by means of hooks, latches, or some other fastenings. I P are the blocks put on the wedge-board F, to form vertical dues in the peat-pile. A

The above-described crib is used in the following` way: When the frame is made it is placed on' the boards O O, and boards G G are putin their place. The wedge-board F is then slipped through the middle ofthe crib,

raised up, and the blocks II II forced under it. The peut then is piled up on boards G G, against the wedgebaard F, and inside of the frame, up to the npper edge of the wedge-board. Blocks P I? are placed then on t'ic wedge-board, and the peat-pile is topped .olii Then the blocks P P arc drawn out, leaving {lues in the peat-pile. i The blocks II II are knocked ont, and the wedge-board 4I" dropped down and carefully withdrawn out of the pile, leaving inside of it a through passage for thc air to circulate. Then the roof is put on and hooked lo the frame, and the peat remains inthe crib until it is perfectly cured, and is ready to be teken to the market or to the place where it is needed. l

The crib may be used without thewedge-board, if it is made narrow, or with several wedge-boards, if it is of considerable width.

Requiring but light and cheap lumber, this kind of crib is cheap, convenient in use, and perfectly Well` adaptedto the purpose. v

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is The portable peat-crib, constructed of light scantling and boards, substantially as and in the manner herein described, and combined with blocks I P and wedge-board or boards F, constructed and operating substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

MARVIN S. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

J. B. TURCHIN, J. M. CUTLER. 

